TED-talks that helped me change: #1 – Thandie Newton

TED-talks that helped me change: #1 – Thandie Newton

In this and upcoming posts, I will be sharing a selection of TED-talks that have helped me change my perspective and become a better person. The difficulties with creativity and productivity are different for everyone, but hopefully, some of the discoveries I have made on my path can also help others. I have built a system by assembling pieces from a variety of methods and ideas, and it is ever evolving; I am always looking for new ways to relate to the strange mechanisms of my mind.

In this first talk, Thandie Newton relates her impression of the self and how its construction is largely a result of external pressure. Although the self is required for us to successfully interact with others, it can also hamper us when we build our persona too heavily reliant on convention and the opinions of others.

Although Thandie and I have walked entirely different paths, I was surprised at how the internal journey she underwent has so many similarities to mine. I connected deeply with her ideas. Thandie is down-to-earth, open-hearted, and genuine, and I come back to her talk at times when I need a gentle and thoughtful reminder that I am not alone in my experiences.